Avoiding Sun Exposure is as Dangerous as Smoking

Non-smokers who avoid sun exposure are at the same risk of cancer and heart disease when compared with smokers.

Even though sunbathers are at an increased risk of developing skin cancer, a new research looks into the paradox that women who sunbathe are likely to live longer than those who avoid the sun. //

An analysis of information on 29,518 Swedish women who were followed for 20 years revealed that longer life expectancy among women with active sun exposure habits was related to a decrease in heart disease and noncancer/non-heart disease deaths, causing the relative contribution of death due to cancer to increase.

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Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells. It can develop due to a continuous exposure to sun over the years.

‘Women with active sun exposure habits have a longer life expectancy as there is a reduced risk of heart disease.’

Whether the positive effect of sun exposure demonstrated in this observational study is mediated by vitamin D, another mechanism related to UV radiation, or by unmeasured bias cannot be determined. Therefore, additional research is warranted.

"We found smokers in the highest sun exposure group were at a similar risk as non-smokers avoiding sun exposure, indicating avoidance of sun exposure to be a risk factor of the same magnitude as smoking," said Dr. Pelle Lindqvist, lead author of the Journal of Internal Medicine study.

Source-Newswise

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